Affectionate
by bookishness
Summary: Set when Hermione arrives at the Burrow before the beginning of The Deathly Hallows. Molly has never seen her son be so affectionate.
1. Chapter 1

Molly smiled to herself as she watched the girl blush profusely as her youngest son held out a chair for her. This adorably gentlemanly behaviour had started the second Hermione had arrived at The Burrow; he had rushed out to a weary and slightly tearful Hermione and put his arms around her in a way that she had never seen him do before. It had shocked her at first – she was so used to the boy tiptoeing around his feelings for the poor girl – but then she supposed that the danger of an impending war made previously scary steps seem quite foolish to ignore. It certainly had made her take giant leaps in her own relationship – and she could never even begin to regret that.

The tearful state of the girl had worried her at first, but she couldn't help but catch her breath at the way in which Ron had pulled her up the stairs, holding her hand with his left and carrying her suitcase with the other, tenderly offering her a handkerchief that was sticking out of his pocket.

It seemed that Hermione and herself were not the only ones surprised by Ron's sudden change in behaviour either – she had caught a flabbergasted Ginny (who had been absolutely dismal all summer) flash a smirk at Ron, who had proceeded to turn a violent shade of scarlet. It was nice to know that he hadn't completely matured in the whole four hours that Hermione had been here.

She did however notice something odd, Fred gave Ron a slight nod with (now this was the odd part) an expression completely devoid of any humour, before exchanging a proud look with George. Molly loved her twins, but she had to admit they were absolute pains in teasing people, and this would be a prime opportunity for them to make fun of Ron and his recent displays of affection. She made a mental note to corner them about it later as she observed Ron passing the salt to a very flustered Hermione, who seemed to blush even more fiercely as he beamed adoringly at her.

The fact that Hermione was obviously just as confused by his behaviour as everyone else (even Bill had pulled away from gazing into Fleur's eyes long enough to look stunned) made the whole thing even sweeter. Unlike with her eldest son, she had always considered Ron's relationship with Hermione to be very sweet, probably because of how unable they both seemed to be able to express their feelings towards each other, especially when they were two of the most emotional people she had ever met.

When dinner was finally over and Ron and Hermione had excused themselves, Hermione's excuse was to unpack and Ron's was to help her (Even Bill couldn't resist commenting "Better leave the bedroom door open then." Which only made them hurry up the stairs faster, refusing to look at each other) Molly managed to corner the twins by asking them to help with the washing up. They were so distracted laughing that they didn't even consider that Molly washed the dishes with magic and therefore couldn't possibly need any help until everyone else had left the kitchen, by which time Molly had sat opposite the two at the table. They paused to examine her serious expression, giving her the chance to speak first.

"What did you do?"

The twins were visibly confused, seeming to run every prank or misdeed that they had pulled in the past week through their heads, coming up with nothing that their mother would be this serious about.

"Honestly, we haven't a clue what you're on about Mum." Said George.

"What have you done to Ron, is it a potion of some sort? Or a sweet from your shop?" She inquired huffily.

The twins snickered, "A potion!" cried Fred.

"A sweet?!" Asked George.

"Oh, Mother dearest! Have a little faith!"

"He's doing this all of his own accord!"

"There may have been a little prodding, but he got there all by himself." Finished Fred

Molly considered her sons' innocent faces for a moment before questioning, "Really?! Then what was that look earlier?"

"What-" George started before Fred nudged him, seeing Molly's eyebrows raised in disbelief.

"We may have given him a little advice." Fred muttered sheepishly.

Molly softened at this; her twins were typecast as the annoying older brothers who mercilessly teased, but sometimes their kinder side would appear, the side which showed they really did care about their siblings.

"Yeah, It was getting a little ridiculous, I mean, it's not even funny anymore." George added.

Molly had to agree with that, but she understood, it was a big step going from friendship to love, and neither of the two had handled it very elegantly in the past. However, the fact that even Fred and George, the constant comedians didn't find it funny anymore showed that maybe they were taking a little bit too long. She gave them a little smile and rubbed their shoulders as she exited the kitchen, informing everyone that maybe they should think about going to bed.

She made her way up the stairs, carrying a pair of pyjamas for Ron when she heard it.

"It's just so strange to think that we're not going back, that in a few days Harry will be here and then we'll have to leave." Hermione's voice drifted from Ron's _closed_ door.

"I know, I bet you'll really miss it, especially the library." Molly could hear the smirk in his voice, and the thump that followed as Hermione probably hit him with a book.

"Won't you?! I mean I know you don't like school, but Hogwarts is more than just a school!" Molly gasped as the information sunk in. They weren't going back to Hogwarts! She felt a burning shock deep within her, a fire kindled by her motherly instinct which insisted that all her children needed to have a full education; she was so enraged that she missed the rest of the conversation. The door opened and Hermione came out, Ron standing in the doorway. Molly was about to race up the rest of the stairs and confront the pair when Ron pulled Hermione back, wrapping his arms softly around her, both of them taking a deep, yet slightly ragged breath. Then, after far too long a time period for it to be remotely platonic, Ron pulled back and gently, but hesitantly placed a kiss on her forehead before whispering "Goodnight Hermione" and entering his room, shutting the door behind him.

Hermione stood there for a few moments, a look of breathless delight on her face. She lifted her hand to her forehead, closing her eyes and biting her lip. Molly swore she even saw a joyous tear leak from a closed eyelid and chose to quickly move back to her bedroom while she had the chance.

She entered her room to find Arthur sitting in bed. She regarded him for a moment before the words came bursting out.

"When did my little boy get old enough to be in love?" Arthur looked confused.

"Bill? He's nearly 30!" Arthur remarked, utterly befuddled at how it was only just coming out now.

"No! I mean my baby, my little Ronnie! When did he get old enough to be so hopelessly in love?" Molly implored frantically, sitting down on the bed next to Arthur.

"Ah. You noticed too then." He smiled, putting his arm around her.

"Of course I did!" Molly scoffed "I'm his mother. And he couldn't be more obvious if he tried!"

Arthur laughed. "I know, the poor girl didn't know what to do with herself."

They both laughed, before settling into a peaceful quiet.

"I'm losing them Arthur." Molly remarked sadly. "They aren't going back, they're going off on some mission."

It was a testament to their marriage that he knew what she was talking about really.

"You're not losing them. They just grew up."

He always knew what to say, it may not have soothed her much, but she knew he was right. So she got into bed with him and they turned off the lights, listening to the hum of children arguing for the bathroom and saying goodnight, Molly vowing to confront her son in the morning. They we're almost asleep when she couldn't resist one last comment.

"I just don't ever think I've seen him be so affectionate!"


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N So daddyron404 told me I should write another chapter where Molly confronts Ron, and I thought since I have tons of free time at the moment then I may as well, so here you go!**

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Molly spent the next day trying to get her youngest Son alone, it was a hard task as he kept sneaking off to flirt with Hermione, much to the ire of Ginny who clearly wanted to have some kind of girl talk with her. At one point he had snuck over to the pair when Ginny had just conviced Hermione to sit outside in the sun with her. It was clear that she had just managed to bring the subject that she needed to (whatever it was), when Ron came from seemingly out of nowhere and lay down on the rug, leaning his head on Hermione's outstretched legs. Hermione looked down startled, whilst Ginny shook her head, shooting her Brother a frustrated glare. He ignored her and started chatting away to an enraptured Hermione. Ginny gave up and stalked back into the house.

When she entered the kitchen, she saw that her Mother had been watching through the window she sighed and sat down at the kitchen table.

"He's ridiculous!" Was Ginny's exclamation.

Molly turned from the window with a fond smile, she took the seat opposite her only daughter.

"I get it, I mean I know he's in love with her. But if he really wants her to know, why doesn't he just snog her and be done with it!" She threw her hands up in despair. "I'd be fine about it, but i really need to talk to Hermione and he's getting in the way!"

Molly laughed and replied, "I'm getting a little annoyed with him too, as it happens, I really need to talk to him too."

Ginny looked at her Mother in surprise before grinning. "I know what to do!"

She lept up and Molly watched in beffudlement as she grabbed three glasses and filled them with a bright coloured juice. She took them outside and Molly stood to watch from the window as she walked over to the now giggling pair and went to hand them drinks. As she was handing one to Hermione, it seemed that she 'accidentally' dropped the bright drink all over Hermione's yellow top. Hermione jumped up, and Ginny fussed over her, finally dragging Hermione back over to the house before bringing her upstairs to her room, undoubtedly for a change of clothes.

Ron followed through the back door a second later, he glanced at the stairs as if considering the possibility of following them.

"Sit down Ron." Molly said sternly.

He looked at her, shocked. "Oh-Okay." He continued to study her expression as he sat down. Then he let his beautiful blue eyes (Arthur's) shift around the room, looking for something wrong. When he found nothing he looked confused.

"Mum, what -?"

"Now, Ronald." She interrupted, "Last night I went to drop off some ironing for you when I heard something worrying. Something about you not going back to school next year. I just wanted to clear up this obvious misunderstanding."

He was momentarily saved from answering when Bill and Fleur walked through the door, sour expressions on their faces. Something that clearly had to do with the Twins' explosion of laughter as they followed them inside. They all paused as they noticed the situation they had just walked into. Bill opened his mouth to ask, but Ron beat him to it with the quiet admission.

"It's not a misunderstanding." His staring confidently into hers, a look so serious it startled her.

Fred, George, Bill and Fleur seemed frozen in the doorway, a nevous anticipation holding them in place waiting to see her reaction.

"What do you mean Ronald? Are you seriously telling me you're not going back to school? That you're going off someplace ALONE with HERMIONE GRANGER?!"

In the most part Molly didn't really blame Hermione for this, although some part of her was thinking about that kiss last night and how her Son was so far gone he'd probably do anything if it meant keeping that girl happy. And, well, she needed a scapegoat didn't she?

To his credit Ron didn't so much as flinch at his Mother's outburst, even though the audience gathering in the kitchen surely did. Instead his ears grew redder and redder until at last, when he heard her shout that name of the girl - no woman - he loved he stood up from the table, a look of quiet anger displayed throughout his body.

"Don't talk about her like that! We aren't going anywhere alone, Harry needs us. Dumbledore gave him a mission and we're going with him." His mostly even, yet defiant tone shocked Molly to the core. Not only had her son, who usually burst into anger in an instant, kept his temper. But he'd been angered against his own Mother. The family, who had by now mostly all come to watch the scene (including a certain Miss Granger) were all stood with baited breath by the doorway. It seemed his sudden bout of maturity had come at a shock to all.

Molly stood gaping at her Son for what seemed like an eternity until at last she turned to the group standing in the doorway.

"Out. Get out." Her voice shook with supressed anger and tears, the group slowly turned and left the room, until Hermione was left, pausing in the doorway.

"Mrs Weasley I -"

"I suppose your parents are perfectly fine with this then?" Hermione flinched and Ron moved to stand. But Molly waved him down and Hermione took a deep breath before answering, her eyes glassy.

"They understand." Was all the girl said, quietly, before leaving and shutting the door behing her.

Molly stared, confused for a moment at the door before collecting her thoughts and turning back to her son who was looking at her with a defiant glare.

"Go on then. What is it? This mission? What could possibly be so important that Dumbledore would ask you to give up your education? Your future?" She crossed her arms and gave him her most intimidating look. The one that had many-a-time coerced him into giving up details of the twins' many schemes.

This time however, it didn't work. Although Ron did sigh guiltily before answering "I can't tell you. Dumbledore said that Harry could only tell me and Hermione at most. Harry says we can't tell anyone." She opened her mouth to protest, but he was quick to add, "Not even you and Dad."

Molly formulated and reformulated many potential responses before falling short of anything to say and instead violently bursting into tears. Whether of frustration or anger Ron wasn't really sure. But he sighed and grabbed her hand over the table.

"Mum.. Mum don't cry. I wish I could tell you, really!" When her crying just became worse he got up and pulled his sobbing mother to her feet before wrapping his long arms around her.

"You've grown again." His mother said wearily into his chest as the crying subsided.

"I'm always growing." He muttered back.

She sniffed and pulled back, grabbing a tissue from the box on the kitchen top and wiping her face. She raised her head to look into the sparkling blue eyes, so alike her husband's. She reached her hand to pat his cheek. He gave a sheepish smile.

"I'm not condoning this. Not one bit, but please, Ronnie, my baby, please be careful." His own eyes started to gain moisture before he blinked and rubbed his neck, his ears reddening slightly.

"Always am." He smiled softly at her.

"I mean it. No risking your life to save your girl's." He blushed and tried to speak, but she beat him to it. "And I don't want to be made a Grandmother yet! At least not by you!"

"MUM!" He whined, turning beetroot. His eyes wide in astonishment. They started to narrow as she burst into hysterical fits of laughter, brought on by the onslaught of emotional turmoil she was currently experiencing.

She was still giggling as Arthur bust through the door, obviously having been informed of the argument by his children after returning from work. He looked on in astonishment as a grumbling Ron walked out past him, straight to the staircase while his wife held herself up with an arm clutching the cabinet, in fits of giggles.

"Molly, what-" She held her free hand up to stop him as she composed herself. She straightened up, her eyes still streaming, from sadness or laughter Arthur couldn't quite tell.

"I just embarrassed him is all." She said before giving her husband a welcoming hug and kiss.

"Bill said you were arguing" Arthur's confused blue eyes made Molly smile sadly as she recalled her Son's a moment ago.

"I hate that he has to grow up." was all the explanation she gave.

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**Thanks for reading**

**P.S. Sorry about the ending I was kind of struggling with how to end it without making it go on for ages.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Okay, so apparently people want me to continue this story. After much thought I decided that I could do all of the instances Molly sees Ron and Hermione together in DH (and maybe, possibly after as well?) anyway, I'll probably just continue until I've run out of ideas. I also wanted to say a massive thank you to everyone who has reviewed it means so much to me and I'm so happy that you like my writing! **

**So, with no further ado, here's chapter three...**

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Molly spent the rest of the time leading up to the wedding flitting between trying to keep Ron, Harry and Hermione apart; trying to get the house in order for the Delacour's; and trying to make sure everything was ready for the impending nuptials. She knew keeping the three apart was lost cause, they would go anyway and her delaying them really wasn't that much of a problem, but she couldn't help but try.

Anyway, the wedding had gone smoothly, and now all Molly had to worry about as she was dancing with her husband was how long it would be until the three disappeared. Arthur sensed her melancholy and held her tighter.

"You can't stop them from going." He sighed.

She looked up at him, "I know. Doesn't stop me from worrying."

They took a few more spins of the dance floor until Molly insisted that they should talk to the Delcaour's for a while. So they made their way up to the rather strange couple, but on their way Arthur suddenly grabbed her arm to stop her.

"Arthur what-" She began as she turned to face him. She stopped however when she saw his smile as he nodded towards the table containing the three people she had tried so hard to keep apart. She watched as a man came to sit with them. It took a few moments for her to recognise the man as Victor Krum. She had heard a lot about Victor Krum and his association with Ron and Hermione over the years from Ginny, so she came to the conclusion that nothing good could possibly happen in this scenario. She knew her son became terribly jealous whenever Hermione mentioned the man's name, but what surprised her was that instead of storming off in a huff or starting and argument, Ron stood, reaching a hand out to Hermione who was smiling , but flustered. He then all but dragged her to the centre of the dance floor. Molly watching in amusement as he stopped and gestured awkwardly with his arms. Evidently he hadn't thought through the desicion to dance with her, the logistics being that he would have to actually hold her in his arms for an extended period of time. Hermione laughed and guided his arms to her waist before tentitavely wrapping her own around his neck. They started swaying awkwardly, both looking anywhere but each other, blushing furiously as Ron's big feet stepped on Hermione's delicate ones. Molly chuckled softly and leant into her husband who placed an arm around her, kissing her cheek.

"Do you think this might be it Mollywobbles?" He whispered in hushed excitement.

"It might just be." She grinned and continued to watch as they finally found a rhythm and caught each other's eyes, captivated. They actually were starting to lean in subconsciously. Molly gripped Arthur's hand that was still resting on her shoulder and gasped in anticipation. All of a sudden the slow music changed to a fast track that knocked the pair out of their trance.

"Bloody musicians!" Molly exclaimed, which sent her hujsband into a fit of laughter. She glared at him, before rolling her eyes and joining him.

Ron and Hermione had started to dance again when they calmed down. They were significantly farther apart and Ron was making Hermione laugh by attempting to mimick Luna Lovegood's dancing.

"Come on dear." Arthur took her over to their original destination and for a while they chatted to the Delacour's. They exchanged pleasantries and comments on how beautiful the bride and the ceremony was. By the time they were finished Molly was sad to see that Hermione was back at the table with Harry; Ron nowhere to be seen. By the time Molly had spotted him, Kingsley's patronus had struck the room to chaos and she saw Hermione grab her two boys and disappear.

After it was over, Molly was in bed, heartbroken. Her eldest son's wedding was ruined and her youngest was gone. Even Arthur's arms wrapped around her could not comfort the worrying witch. Nor could his soft reassurances as she sobbed herself to sleep.

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**Thanks for reading :)**


	4. Chapter 4

**Here's chapter four! This one doesn't really include Ron or Hermione, but it's about when Bill tells them to go to Muriel's because of them all turning up at his after they were at Malfoy Manor. **

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Molly didn't hear from or see her youngest son for months after the wedding. Months of worrying that they were dying or starving or caught. It wasn't until Bill burst into the house late one night waking them all up with his shouting that she finally heard something about the state of the trio.

"MUM! DAD! EVERYONE! YOU NEED TO MOVE!" The voice came from the hallway. She heard footsteps stampede up the stairs, and a loud knocking as Bill pounded on every bedroom door. She groaned, rolling out of bed. It took her a moment to realise that they were currently in a war, and if Bill was shouting then something must be seriously wrong.

She scrambled to stand straight and ran to her bedroom door as Arthur groaned, leaning up on his elbow and squinting to see her. She flung the door open, Bill noticed and ran back to her. His fierce expression made her heart drop to her stomach.

"Bill, what's going on?" She demanded, grabbing his sleeve.

"It's fine. You just need to move. You need to get everyone to Aunt Muriel's. They know Ron's with Harry. They'll be on their way soon." His calm tone disguised the panic she could clearly see in his eyes.

She wanted to ask questions but she knew now was not the time. Arthur had heard from his position in the doorway behind her and sprung into action, flinging doors open and dragging his children out of bed. Molly and Bill followed, doing the same. When the whole family was gathered in the hallway they all apparated, Bill taking his sister who was still not old enough for the trace to have gone.

When they appeared at Muriel's she wasn't too impressed and kept muttering about them waking the dead. Molly overheard George whisper something about Muriel looking like the dead and hit him on the shoulder.

It wasn't until they were sat in Muriel's living room (the old bat had gone back to bed) that the panic truly set in.

"Bill?" She asked frantically. He was currently checking his watch, obviously anxious to get back to his new home. He looked up, his face set with a grim anticipation. He knew what she would ask.

The rest of the family present looked between the two in obvious confusion.

"Bill how do they know Ron's with Harry?" Arthur caught on to her panic and snapped his head back to Bill, a soft noise came from his mouth, as though he'd been punched in the stomach. Anguish filling those blue eyes that Molly couldn't currently stand to see.

Bill sighed. "Mum, he's okay. The three of them turned up at ours an hour or so ago, with Olivander, a Goblin, the Lovegood girl and a boy in their year, Dean I think."

Ginny gasped. "Are they okay?!" Molly knew that she had been close to the two and that they had been caught a while back.

"They're okay Gin. They're a bit beaten up, but they'll live. It's Hermione we're worried about." He collapsed into a chair scrubbing his face with his hands. This sent a tidal wave of terror through Molly, and she could tell it was the same with the other people in the room. Even the twins looked worried.

"We were just about to go to bed when I heard the crack and then I head him kicking at the door, he was shouting me. I've never seen him so scared in all my life Mum. He was carrying her and we put her on the sofa, but she was unconscious. He was crying, and he wouldn't tell me what happened just kept begging me to fix her." He caught sight of the panicked faces of his family and took in a shaking breath. "She's okay now. Well, she's alive. Melin, it's like she's been tortured. Fleur was trying to get her to stop shaking and screaming when I left. Ron won't tell me but I think they were captured, and seeing as we know that Luna and Olivander were taken to the death eaters..."

Molly wasn't surprised to feel her eyes sting and her face flush with oncoming tears.

"You don't - You don't think it could be Bellatrix... do you?" Ginny's shaky voice came from the corner of the room. Molly saw that her daughter - who never cried - was sniffling as her eyes watered.

Bill's expression was all they needed. "Yeah. I managed to get the other boy to tell me. Apparently they were at the Malfoy's. They locked them up in the cellar while they let her torture Hemione. It was an elf that saved them apparently."

"Dobby!" Ginny gasped. Then started sobbing in earnest. Fred reached over to put his arm around her, handing her a clean handkerchief from his pocket.

They room was silent for a while, aside for the gasps and sniffles coming from Ginny.

"Mum." She tore her eyes away from her daughter to look at her eldest. "I need to get back, to make sure they're okay." He said hesitantly.

"I'll come with you!" She stood, but Bill shook his head. "You can't. It's best that we keep the travelling to an absolute minimum, they'll be looking for you now."

She protested but in the end he won. She sat and watched from the window as he disapparated away.

She sent the clan to bed, giving Ginny a calming drought from Muriel's cupboard first. She climbed into the spare bed in their allocated room with Arthur, but neither were able to sleep.

"Molly." Her husband's voice came softly from beside her.

"Yes?"

"Bill will fix her. You know he will. They're good at it." He clasped her hand under the covers.

She turned over and rested her head on his chest. They wrapped their arms around eachother, trying to gain some sort of peace.

"What if he doesn't? What if she ends up like the Longbottom's? What will our poor boy do then? He loves her, he really does. His heart must be breaking. Oh I can't just stay hear and know they're hurting, I can't!" She sobbed into Arthur's nightshirt. He held her tighter, tears dripping onto her hair.

"I know, but we have to. She's one of the strongest women I've ever met, and he's so brave. They'll be okay. Harry will win this, and it'll all be over, Then they'll get married and give you lots of bushy, red-headed bookworms for grandchildren, and we'll love them with everything we have."

Molly laughed through her tears. "You really think so?"

"I know it. Now go to sleep love, we'll see what news there is in the morning. At least we know where they are, and that they're safe now." He whispered. They fell asleep still holding onto eachother, as though the other was the only thing keeping them alive.

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**I hope you liked it! I actually had watery eyes when writing the end there, so I hope it's good. And as always, thanks for reading :)**


	5. Chapter 5

**This chapter is a bit of a filler, but I needed to do it in order to get to the next bit that I wanted to cover, so I hope you enjoy it anyway. **

**Also as always thank you for the lovely reviews, it motivates me to keep writing to get the next chapter up asap.**

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The word the next day came from Bill via Owl. Molly had risen early (early enough to see the sun rise) and done what she usually did in times of trouble, cook. She had made a massive full english breakfast for the family, and had just called them down when she heard the rhythmic tapping at the window. She took the parchment from the Owl's leg and opened it ravenously.

_Mum,_

_Everyone's okay. Hermione is stable and currently asleep. Ron stayed the night in the chair in her room, I tried to make him go to bed but he refused. I think he'll feel better when she's up and moving. If I weren't so worried I'd probably be teasing him right now, but he wouldn't even come down for breakfast and you know something's wrong when **Ron** won't eat! The three of them are all skin and bones too, which I'm afraid might make Hermione's recovery harder. Wow, I sound like you!_

_Anyway, they're still not telling me what's going on. I tried to guilt it out of Ron. I'm not really proud of it, but I tried accusing him of putting this mission above Hermione's welfare, I mean I need to know what exactly happened so I know how to treat her. He started shouting at me, he told me that I didn't have a clue what they've had to go through and that if I did then I wouldn't even think about questioning how much he cares about her. I don't really question it, after seeing the state he's been in this past couple of days I don't think I'll ever be able to. I'm 110% sure that my baby brother has fallen head over heels in love._

_Ron's just come down with Hermione. Okay she is using him for support but she's awake and functioning. I suppose I'd better force some food down their throat's._

_All my love, Bill._

Their days were restless with worry and a strange sense of anticipation. They recieved another letter a few days later saying that the trio had left on some mission and that they had tried to stop them to no avail.

It was a few weeks after their first move when they recieved the call to war. The next hours were a flurry of adrenaline and fear, with brief interludes of pain, sorrow, rage and 'My poor Freddie, my baby boy.' mixed with, 'Oh no! Not Harry, he can't be!'. The ending was quick and almost anticlimactic as she watched the body of the-most-evil-man-she-had-ever-laid-eyes-on fall to the floor in a fascinatingly humane way. The rumble of joy that surrounded them and even managed to wriggle it's way through the grief in her own heart. Hers was not solely found in the end of a regime, but also in the sight of her brave, brave trio safe and alive.

The grief was overwhelming however as she looked down at the sightless eyes of her vivacious child, as he lay on the floor of the not-so-great-anymore Hall surrounded by his family. It took a while for Bill to convince his parents to leave Fred's side, and even longer to drag his brother from his twin's side.

After some time they finally made it to the Gryffindor common room. This time there was no fond reminiscence of her school days, just the steady pounding of sorrow through her veins. She took a seat heavily on a sofa, not knowing whether to cry, after all it was kind of pointless. Crying wouldn't bring her baby back. This left her hollow as she stared straight ahead. She overheard Percy (she felt a spring of joy at hearing his voice again) ask where Ron was. This brought her crashing back to the room.

She looked around startled and took account of the room. Sure enough the trio was missing.

"They went upstairs a while ago." Came a voice from the other side of the room. Molly was shocked to see the newly matured Neville Longbottom, who had been sat with Luna Lovegood and some other children she vaguely recognised.

Molly glanced to the stairs. "Arthur, you check on the boys. I'll check on Hermione. Come on Ginny, you aught to get some sleep too." She was about to make her way up when an airy voice came from next to Neville.

"Actually Mrs Weasley they all went to the boy's dormitory." Luna said dismissively.

Molly felt a stab of curiosity and turned, with a fire in her eyes to the boy's staircase. The family trailed after her apprehensively, and she heard Bill protest "Mum. Maybe-" but she shushed him, slowly pushing open the door and taking in the sight.

Harry was sprawled accross a bed, still fully clothed with an empty plate on his bedside table. She smiled to herself in affection for their saviour and surrogate son. Ron and Hermione, however, had changed into pyjamas and looked as though they had cleaned themselves up significantly. They were also sharing a bed and were currently snuggled up together, holding eachother tightly in a position scarily familiar to the matriarch.

She sighed and shook her head. However she only made her way over to them to kiss each of their foreheads. The family watched on in astonishment as she then simply moved on to remove Harry's glasses and pull a blanket over him. She then drew each of the bed's curtains so that the morning light would not wake them.

She acknowledged the family's shocked expressions and gave a small smile.

"What? I'm not heartless. They're only sleeping, and I reckon we all need some comfort right now." She explained. "Now, I think we can all fit in here somehow."

After a lot of moving around and organisation it was settled that the Weasley family would take up the boy's dormitory, and the rest of the kids downstairs would take the girl's. Professor McGonegall removed the last traces of the charm on the stairs so that the boys wouldn't be thrown back down via slide.

When Molly woke up the next morning the rest of the family were asleep, all except Ron and Hermione - the curtain around their bed had been pulled back. Molly arose and went down to the common room to try and find them. When she arrived at the bottom of the stairs she found them curled up in an armchair speaking softly, Hermione was sat on Ron's lap and was leaning into his chest. They both flushed as they noticed her presence and started to make a move to get up, but she waved them down with a fond smile.

"Hey Mum." Ron spoke softly, and Molly's heart relaxed at the sound of his voice. She walked over to cradle his face in her hand. She kissed his forehead, teary-eyed.

"Hello darling." She sniffed and the tears started to fall as she did the same to Hermione. "I'm so glad you're okay." She told them.

Hermione stood up, Ron following suit and they both wrapped her in a hug. After a minute or so she pulled back, smiling through her tears and sat down on the chair opposite the one they had previously been occupying. The pair looked at each other awkwardly for a moment, evidently unsure as to whether they should resume their earlier position. She almost laughed.

"Sit down." She ordered them. They both turned an even brighter shade of red as they sat back down, refusing to look her in the eye.

"When did this happen then?" She couldn't resist asking.

"Yesterday." Ron mumbled. Molly kept her shock to herself, simply nodding. "Well I'm very happy for you." Hermione met her eyes with gratitude.

They said no more on the subject, and she didn't ask questions about what they'd been up to - there would be time for that later - they simply sat in the comfort of each other's presence until the rest of the family came traipsing down stairs for a day of organising funerals and memorials and rebuilding, before finally making it home.

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**I have a clear idea of what I want to do next so the wait for the next chapter probably won't be very long at all!**

**Thanks for reading :)**


	6. Chapter 6

**Well this chapter took longer than expected ... mainly because it's quadruple the length of every other one I've written! I've wanted to explore this possibility for a while, it's a very likely possibility after spending 9 months on the run that Hermione would be quite unhealthy. Obviously the boys would too, but I figure Harry's used to a little undernourishment after living with the Dursley's and Ron was fed up over that Christmas.**

**So here's the very very long chapter six**

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Those first few weeks back at home were not restful, they were not joyful, and they were not comfortable. During the past year, whenever Molly had thought about the end of the war, she had though of her old, sagging bed at home with her cosy kitchen; of her mish-mash of a house which oozed comfort and family. She had even entertained the idea of throwing a party. She should have known - at least from her experiences from the previous war in which she had lost her younger brothers - that the end of a war does not nessescarily mean the end of the battle.

The house that once oozed comfort and family now felt hollow with sorrow and haunted dreams. The kitchen had not been used as people brought food over to 'help' (could they not see that cooking would make her feel better? More herself again?). They party was not the happy occaision that she had planned but was instead found in a funeral party. As much as Molly had dreaded the idea of losing one of her children - Charlie to his dragons; Percy to the Ministry regime; Ron to Voldemort; Bill to Greyback; Ginny to the Carrows' - She had never once entertained the idea of losing a twin. She had never really believed that any of her children would truly die, after all hadn't they survived so much already, but most of all not a twin. They were so full of life, so jovial and youthful and they just had an aura of being so alive and alight with energy that it scraped at her heart to see those dead, sightless eyes staring in her nightmares.

The rest of the family seemed to take solace in each other, Bill took over as the father figure, holding his siblings as they wept and generally being a rock for them all to lean on. His wife (even after nearly a year it still seemed strange to think of her as that) took on all of Molly's household duties, with the aid of Hermione. It seemed that they both felt obligated as they didn't feel a real part of the family - something which Molly needed to correct. It was during one of those occaisions that something happened to snap Molly out of her haze of sorrow; something that made her realise that there were still people who needed to be taken care of.

It had been just over a week since the battle and only two days after the funeral, which Hermione had been a huge help in organising and preparing for. It was really amazing that Molly hadn't noticed the gaunt face and the purple-rimmed eyes before then, but that warm afternoon, whilst the family were seated around the living room immersed in their own activities, Hermione collapsed.

It was so sudden, she was walking into the room from upstairs where she had just gone to collect a book, and she suddenly stumbled and just fell to the floor. Luckily Charlie, who was nearest to her, had noticed and managed to catch her before she hit the ground. There were a few moments of frozen panic before a flurry of action.

"She's breathing!" Announced Charlie with his ear against her mouth.

"Hermione, can you open your eyes for me?" Bill shook her shoulder.

"Hermione?" Ron whimpered.

It took a few moments for her to regain consciousness, and when she did Bill and Charlie sat her up against the sofa whilst Fleur pressed a glass of water into her hand. The family waited in silence as she drank it. This gave Molly an oppurtunity to look over the emaciated girl. It seemed that despite the vast amounts of food present this past week, Hermione had still managed to maintain her near-skeletal disposition.

"You need to go to St Mungo's." Came Ginny's voice. Before the obvious protest came from her mouth, she continued, "You barely sleep a couple of hours a night, and you can't keep any food down. You need to see a healer!"

Molly was shocked to learn this. How had she let the girl do so much for her in such a state?

It seemed she was not the only one, "You never told me that Hermione." Ron looked strangely hurt, almost for an instant resembling his patronus.

"I-I'm fine! Really! There are far more seriously ill patients for them to be caring for!" Despite her protests, her voice was weak and her body was shaking.

"You just collapsed! Have you even seen a healer since that night?!" Ron's outrage was evident and the family sat with baited breath to see what she said. Well, all besides Percy who sat with pure confusion, wondering what was going on.

He took her silence as an answer. He pulled her slowly but firmly to her feet. "Right. We'll go now."

"Wait!" Molly spoke. There was a look of shock throughout the others (Molly didn't speak much at all these days). "I'll come too." She stood and made her way over to the fireplace where they stood.

"Mrs Weasley, you don't have to-"

"Nonsense dear. There are some questions they'll ask that you won't want a boy present for. Ron can wait outside, and it's Molly to you." She patted the girl's cheek before taking a pinch of powder and throwing it into the flames shouting "St Mungo's" She felt the familiar pulls and twists before landing in the sterile reception area. It was only a few moments before Hermione, followed by Ron, appeared next to her. She led them to the desk where, upon seeing two members of the infamous 'Golden Trio' the receptionist sat up straight stuttering about helping them.

After a couple of minutes they were escorted to see a Healer by the name of Phillips. Molly made Ron wait in a chair outside the room as Hermione and Molly went inside. The room was bare beside a desk covered in paperwork, with three chairs placed around it, and a plastic coated bed with a paper sheet laid out on top. A friendly looking woman sat behind the desk, her fair hair scraped back in a bun revealing her rounded face. She had kindly brown eyes, much like Hermione's own, that smiled with her mouth as she shook their hands.

"Well Miss Granger, it's lovely to finally meet you. Though I'm not sure these are the best conditions, what can I do for you?" She asked as they sat down. Hermione was struck speechless and looked helplessly to Molly.

"As you probably know, she's been in hiding and ... well ... to put it bluntly she was starved half to death and now can't keep food down. She was also under some ... duress which we aren't sure she has fully recovered from. Also, she hasn't been sleeping." Molly summarised for her.

She recieved a surprised look from Hermione, Molly had forgotten that she wouldn't have been aware of their knowledge of what had happened to her. Healer Phillips smiled sadly at the girl.

"Okay Hermione, I need to ask you a few questions and I would like you to answer them as prescisely as you can." She waited for the nod before continuing. "What food have you managed to keep down this past week?"

"Erm... A banana yesterday, some bread - about two slices, four bowls of cereal and a couple of snacks. I just can't keep the larger meals down really." Hermione seemed nervous, playing with her hands on her lap. The Healer nodded, writing something on a piece of parchment before continuing.

"Okay, have you found that you are becoming out-of-breath and tired much easier?"

"I- Yes I suppose." The line of questioning continued for a while until it came time for the phsyical exam. She weighed Hermione and measured her height before taking her blood pressure and heartbeat, they even took a blood sample (to test for iron and vitamin deficiencies according to the healer) When she had been thoroughly pushed and prodded Healer Phillips continued to ask her more questions.

"Okay, Hermione, I have a few more questions. Mrs Weasley said you were _'under duress'_, what exactly does that mean? I know you may not want to talk about it, but it is imperative in order for us to bring you back to health."

"I-I was tortured. I don't really remember the specifics, I know an unforgivable was used. It was Bellatrix Lestrange." Even the Healer looked shaken at this, though she refrained from pushing the subject further.

Then she asked something that took Molly by surprise, though it was evident that Hermione had seen it coming, and had dreaded answering.

"Now this may seem obtrusive, but this amount of stress on your body can have an affect on these things. Hermione when was your last period?"

Hermione sat with her head bowed, her knuckles clutched tightly together. A small voice came from beneath the mass of curls. "Four months ago. That's bad isn't it?" Molly's eyes widened at the news. For a moment she almost considered that she was going to gain her first grandchildbefore she remembered the muggle-born girl in her own years at Hogwarts who had developed an eating disorder and how it had affected her reproductive system.

"Does this mean she won't be able to have children?" A tearful Molly inquired.

"No, not nessescarily. Starvation does have an adverse effect on fertility, and this could be made worse by the stress your body was under during your torture as the use of the cruciatus curse is aimed to effectively shut down the body bit by bit. However, if we restore you back to health quickly enough, it should mean that you will still have the ability to reproduce, though it may take time. Your fertility will be heavily decreased, but we can talk more about your options when the time comes that you decide that you want to have children. I think you have probably been poked and prodded at enough for one day." She smiled softly before continuing. "I'll get you some potions to help with keeping food down and I'll add in a couple of dreamless sleep potions for now. I'll also schedule an appointment for you with a mind healer to talk about your nightmares and what can be done to prevent them. I'll be right back." She got up, taking the parchment with her, leaving them alone in the room together.

"Hermione, dear, are you alright?" Molly asked when she saw that the girl had drawn her knees up to her chest and was resting her forehead on her knees. Hermione looked up at the sound of her voice and she saw the hopeless look in the girl's teary eyes. She moved to sit next to her on the bed and wrapped an arm around her.

"It'll be okay, it's not like she said you'll never be able to have children at all." She attempted.

"That's what they say! They have to be optimistic about these things! She hasn't even checked, not properly, not yet." At this she let out a sob. Molly was about to deny this when Ron came bursting in.

"I just saw the Healer leave, are you do-" He cut himself off as he saw his girlfriend crying on his Mother's shoulder. "Are you okay 'Mione?" The soft tone of his voice made Molly's heart clench, her poor child cared so much for the broken girl, and this wasn't going to be something easily recovered from. It would take patience and love and heartache in order to sort this mess out. Molly beckoned her boy over when Hermione gave no response, he came to sit on her other side and held her as Molly transfered the sniffling girl over to him. She arose from the bed as the Healer came in with the potions.

"I'll take them." She said quietly. Healer Phillips looked sadly at the girl before turning back to Molly and handing her the potions. "One drop each of these need to be taken before every meal" She said as she handed a blue and a green potion to her. "And a sip of this," she handed her the dreamless sleep potion, "needs to be taken every night until the night before her appointment with Healer Whitworth, which is on Thursday next week at 3pm. I'd also like for her to visit me after she's done, so that I can check on her progress and deliver her results." Molly nodded and Phillips went to leave, but paused at the doorway. "She's lucky to be alive, you know." She added before leaving the room.

Molly sighed and turned back to see Ron looking at her over Hermione's head, which was buried in his chest. His eyes, which had always been so expressive, showed his confusion and pain at seeing his love cry. She signalled to the door, silently telling him to wait until they got home. He, thankfully, understood and rubbed Hermione's back, murmuring into her ear. She slowly leaned back up and wiped her eyes. Ron led her out of the room with a hand on her back, still softly rubbing comforting circles. If it were not such an emotionally tiring afternoon, Molly would have grinned at the action and maybe even tried to embarrass the pair, but for now she was just glad that her son had become so openly affectionate with the girl. The trip back through the hospital seemed to drag until finally they reached the floo network. They went in the same order they had come, Molly landing in the living room first, where she found most of the family still gathered. George had retreated to his room, Percy had gone out to the village to pick up some groceries and Fleur was busy cooking dinner. Ginny jumped up from where she was sat playing exploding snap with Harry straight away.

"Is she okay? What did they say?"

Molly gestured for her to sit down. "She'll be alright, but she's a bit upset, so save the questioning for later." Ginny didn't seem like she would back down, but then Hermione came through the fireplace and she caught sight of the distraught expression on her face and the tears that were still leaking out of her eyes. Hermione wiped her eyes, which she then turned on Molly.

"I-I... Could you-" She was unable to articulate anything but Molly understood, grasping her arm and giving her a reassuring smile.

"It's alright, you go. I'll tell Ron to go when he arrives." Hermione let out another sob, nodding her head before shakily making her way upstairs, undoubtfully to Ron's bedroom on the top floor.

"Mum, what's happened?" Asked a wide eyed Ginny. Arthur, Bill, Charlie and Harry were also looking as though expecting an answer. She was saved by Ron coming through the fireplace. He turned to her fiercely.

"What's going on? Why is she so upset? She's not sick is she?"

She put a hand on his shoulder that he looked down on for a second before flicking his eyes back to hers, now full of dread.

"She's not sick. Go and ask her." She indicated towards the stairs. He frowned before nearly running up to his room.

"If she's not sick what's wrong with her?" Ginny demanded. Harry looked uncomfortable sat beneath her feet, he had been feeling guilty about the effects the war had on the people around him. Not that he said anything, but Molly knew her children and Harry was almost one of them.

"It's not my place to say. Nothing's wrong with her, she's just needs food and she'll be healthy again." Molly was sure that this current predicament wasn't something Hermione would want the whole family to know, and though it was hard to keep a secret in such a large family but for this one she would try.

"You're not making any sense!" Protested Ginny.

Molly didn't know what to say and so said nothing. Ginny gave up after a few seconds and stormed towards the staircase.

"Ginerva Molly Weasley! Don't you dare go and pester them right now!" Ginny gave her mother a mutinous look before changing direction and storming out into the garden, turning back only to give Harry a pointed look.

"Come on Harry." She demanded. He got up quickly, sheepishly ingnoring the sniggering of her elder brothers. Molly smiled and plopped down next to her husband, watching Charlie and Bill engaged in a chess match. The match lasted for almost an hour, by which time Fleur had announced that dinner was ready. Molly wasn't a fan of the french food Fleur insisted preparing but only smiled and called the others to the kitchen. Percy had arrived moments before looking suspiciously flustered, but she'd ask about that later. Ron and Hermione didn't turn up for dinner, but she didn't push it. Unfortunately Percy and Ginny did.

"Where are Ronald and Hermione?" Percy asked once they were all seated.

"Yes Mum. Where are they?" Ginny interrupted.

Molly could not think of anything to say. George looked her in the eye, she saw he was waiting to see what she would say, but in the same way he had when he was younger and she told Ginny that she couldn't have an owl because they already had one and it would get jealous. Back then Molly had known that George knew the real reason behind their inability to buy Ginny an owl - that they didn't have the money - and now Molly suspected he had overheard something in the hallway.

She was prevented from having to say anything when the kitchen door opened. Ron walked in, his hair was sticking up on end, as though he had been pulling at it; his T-Shirt had noticable damp patches near the shoulder and it was severely crumpled. His own eyes were also red and swollen. He avoided the rest of the family's eyes, focusing solely on his Mother's.

"Can I take some food up?" He asked quietly, though the others were silently watching the exchange and could therefore hear him anyway.

"Of course." She got up and made up two more plates of food as he stood awkwardly avoiding eye contact with everyone else. Before she handed him the plates she placed them on the side and gave him a hug. He returned it enthusiastically, she didn't think he had held her so tightly since he was a child. "Is she okay? Are _you_ okay?" Molly asked.

"Yeah. I think. She keeps saying she wants her Mum." He sighed, pulling back. "Thanks for the food though." He quickly left after grabbing it. The room was left in a surreal silence.

It was then that something occured to Molly. "Wait. Where _are_ Hermione's parents?" Moody had told her before Hermione arrived before the wedding that they were taken care of, but no one else had seemed to know what that meant. She pointed her question at Harry, knowing there wasn't much any one of the trio did that the others didn't know about.

"Yeah, why isn't she with them?" Charlie asked with his mouth full. The general confusion was all aimed at Harry, who looked rather surprised, and then rather sad.

"I forgot." He said, "They're in Australia."

"Australia? And they've been there this whole time?" Asked Bill.

"We should send someone to get them!" Arthur added, and Molly agreed.

"I'll ask my collegues at the international relations office to help sort out portkeys." Percy seemed delighted to be able to help.

"It's not exactly that simple." Came the small voice from the end of the table, disrupting the frenzy of organisation. Everyone turned to Harry in bewilderment.

"What do you mean?" Asked Molly.

"Well, she didn't just send them to Australia. She needed to make sure that even if they were found they wouldn't be able to tell anyone anything." He looked around at them before continuing. " She altered their memories and made it so that they thought their names were Monica and Wendell Wilkins and that they had chosen to go to Australia of their own accord."

"Well that's not too bad!" Bill replied. "That can be changed back easily."

"It's not just that." Harry's voice was foreboding, it was starting too worry Molly. He seemed reluctant to continue, but did after a nudge from Ginny, "As they are now - the Wilkins' - they don't really know about Hermione. They don't know they have a daughter anymore."

There was a stunned silence. Molly of course was saddened by the news, saddened by the fact that Hermione had to go through that - suddenly the her tears when she had first arrived at their home made sense. The heartache was followed quickly by a surprising anger.

"Harry. How long would the spell last? I mean, If something had happened to her, how long would it be before they found out?" Molly inquired, though she felt she knew the answer.

"They wouldn't. She made it strong enough so that they never would have known." The guilt laced his every word, but now was not the time to consider that. Anger clouded her vision.

"How could she _do_ that?!" She shouted. The family jumped in surprise - they were all feeling sorry for Hermione, and also slightly in awe (in the older sibling's case) of her skill.

"What are you on about Mum? She didn't have a choice!" Ginny was geared up for an argument.

"No one should take away a parent's right to worry, or to grieve! Not even their child!" Tears flooded Molly's eyes at the thought of not being able to grieve Fred. Of not remembering her child existed. "I'm willing to bet they didn't agree to this! They'll be horrified!"

The family didn't know what to say. They couldn't dispute what she had said, but they still found it impossible to be mad at Hermione, particularly after seeing her cry today.

They finished their dinner in an awkward silence, after which Harry and Ginny dispersed to the garden to 'play quidditch' in the evening summer sun. Molly doubted much quidditch would be played as she noticed their hands entwining once they stepped through the door. Charlie went to his room stating that he had to send some letters back to the reserve in Romania, he was trying to organise a move to a closer reserve in Ireland. Percy said he needed to get back to his flat, he had rented one in Ottery St Catchpole after the war in an effort to reconnect with his family (Molly thought that maybe he had a girl living with him, but she didn't pry as he knew she wouldn't be pleased about it and that was probably why he wasn't telling her). Bill started a game of checkers with George in the living room. Fleur sat behind him on the sofa, writing a letter to her parents.

Arthur stayed in the kitchen with his wife, who was currently scrubbing dishes with vigour.

"Not using magic?" He asked, though he knew she was trying to release some of her emotion through the action.

"No." Was all she replied.

"Molly -" Came his reproachful voice.

"No Arthur! I'm not mad at her! I just... I can't see why it all had to happen. They told her she may not be able to have children Arthur!"

"What?! Who?" He was stunned.

"The Healer! They said that all the strain on her body will have decreased her fertility and that she'll likely have trouble getting pregnant." After finally letting it out she realised how much the news had affected her. Molly knew the joys and woes of having children better than most, and the idea that Hermione had that opportunity taken from her - particularly when it would affect her son also (there was no doubt in her mind that they would end up married) - it was like someone had clenched her heart and wrung it out. She turned to Arthur, who gave her a sad look of understanding, flung herself into his arms and sobbed. He held her tightly. They had been in this position many a time this past week and Arthur was familiar with it, knowing he had to just be there until the tears stopped. When they finally did he stepped back, still holding her hands.

"Mollywobbles." He said affectionately, "Hermione's a strong, brave girl - one of the bravest I have ever met - she'll be okay. Ron will go with her to get her parents, and he'll be there by her side, supporting her, the entire time. And when the time comes, he'll support her through anything she has to go through so they can have children. He'll do all that because that's how we raised him, and he's a wonderful and loving boy, he has a heart of gold and he loves her more than we could have ever hoped for."

People sometimes wondered why the bold and brash Molly Prewitt had married the shy and quirky pauper that was Arthur Weasley. Well if they wanted to know - that was why - he always knew what to say, and all those qualities he had listed? Ronald had inherited them all from his father.

"I suppose you're right." She smiled, pecking his lips.

"Oh! I - er - can I just put these down?" She nearly laughed when she saw Ron standing in the doorway, but he looked so tired, so emotionally tired.

"Come and sit down son." Arthur said fondly.

Ron looked between them and sat at the table. Arthur sat opposite him, but Molly next to him. He sighed and ran his large hands over him weary face.

"How are you Ronnie?" His mother asked him.

"Okay, I guess. I just... I'm so **angry**. This whole thing just started because people were so selfish and cruel, and it was just so petty, but we lost Fred and Lupin and Tonks and Dobby! And this whole time I thought that if we just got through it - if we actually managed to kill him - then maybe we could have some kind of future together. I know it's ridiculous at my age, but I kept imagining marrying her and having little bushy haired bookworms with her, and it kept me going. But now they might have taken that too! I thought it was supposed to be over!" He punctuated the end with a sob.

Molly didn't often see Ron cry, when he got upset it tended to manifest itself in anger, so the sight along with his confession broke her heart.

"Oh, baby!" She wrapped her arms around him, and though the positioning was awkward, she managed to pull his head to her shoulder. Arthur came up and sat next to him, stroking his hair.

His tears didn't last long, after a few minutes he sat up and wiped his eyes.

"I should go back." He announced. He looked her in the eyes cautiously before adding, "Do you mind if I stay with her tonight? I just - I need -"

"Of course." Said her husband, and she could not dispute - not with two pairs of blue eyes staring back at her (those eyes were her weakness).

When she came back into the living room, she realised that the three sat in there had obviously overheard everything.

They just nodded grimly at her.

"Time for bed." She said. "Bill, could you get Harry and Ginny? Tell Ginny to stay in Ron's room." He didn't question it, or even protest that he and Fleur hadn't been allowed to sleep in the same room before they were married. War does that to people, she had found, they didn't stress the petty things.

She checked in on the pair before she went to bed and found them curled up together - much like they had been after the battle. Ron was snoring, but Hermione opened her eyes and smiled through her pain, mouthing two words, 'Thank you.'

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**Also thank you again to everyone who has reviewed/favourite/followed this, it really does mean a lot to me! :)**


	7. Chapter 7

**Here's chapter seven, this one's more of a lead in to the next chapter that I'm planning on being from Hermione's mother's POV. **

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The next week went by quickly, Molly had a new mission - to feed Hermione up so she could be healthy enough to one day give her grandchildren. After that first night Ron had not been allowed back into his girlfriend's bed. Molly may have been sympathetic, but she didn't want to contradict her own rules, and those rules were there to stop her children from doing something rash. It may have seemed a little harsh but she knew from experience how easy it was to find comfort in each other when tragedy occured. She didn't think that Ron would take advantage of Hermione, but she knew it may be hard for him to resist, after all, he had been waiting to be with her for so long.

It wasn't until the day after her appointments at St Mungos (where she had thankfully been declared 'steadily improving') that Molly got up the courage to talk to Hermione about her parents. She found her curled up in an armchair with her face buried in a book, the rest of the family were outside playing (or in Fleur's and Arthur's case, watching) Quidditch. Molly had stayed behind under the pretense of having chores to do, Hermione had said that she still couldn't stand Quidditch and would rather stay in and read. Ron had tried to persuade her, saying she could read outside, but she had told him that the sun made the pages glare and it hurt her eyes. Molly had smiled at the sound of their bickering, it was a sure sign that the pair were recovering - though Hermione seemed to have gotten over the news far too quickly, which made Molly wonder if she hadn't just repressed it all.

Molly took a moment to watch the girl in the armchair. Looking at her sat there with her messy curls, wrestled back into a bobble that wasn't quite holding it all in; and her brow furrowed as she balanced a large tome on her knees that were drawn up near her chest; she almost looked like the fifteen year-old girl Molly remembered her being. It helped that her weight loss had made her look much smaller in comparison to the heavy books she was usually reading. It was as though the act of reading restored Hermione's innocence, which only made Molly remember how visciously it had been torn away from her.

"Hermione?"

She took a few seconds to answer, "Sorry Molly! What did you say?"

"I want to talk to you for a moment." Molly sat down on the sofa opposite her.

Hermione lifted her head in surprise, taking note of the serious tone Molly had employed.

"Oh, Okay." She put a bookmark carefully between the pages and place the book on the floor, signalling that Molly had her full attention.

Molly had been preparing the speech for days, "Ron told us that you wanted to see your parents, and Harry told us what you did to them. I want you know that while we don't like what you did, we understand why you did it and we would like to help you to find them." Hermione was speechless, so Molly continued, "Percy has been in contact with some people at the Ministry, and they have been in contact with the Austrailian Ministry who have been working to find them for you. They've been using the information that Harry gave us about their names and professions too locate them through muggle ways. It's all very complicated, but they managed to find a few possibilities." She paused for a moment to let it sink in. Hermione was sat still, with her lips parted and her eyes wide. "They want you to go to the ministry tomorrow to look at some photographs that were sent over of the people they think could be your parents so that you can tell them which ones they are. When you've told them, an Auror will acompany you and Ron to Austrailia via the portkeys so you can remove the charm and explain everything to them. The rest depends on what you, and they, want to do. You can stay however long you want, and the Ministry has gifted you money and documents that will mean you can come back on muggle transport whenever you wish." Realising that Hermione still hadn't moved an inch, Molly waited a moment for a reaction. When she still recieved none, she started to worry.

"Hermione?" She prompted. The girl's eyes suddenly filled with tears and she stood up and ran towards Molly, where she flung her arms around her, crying. Molly went stiff with confusion, she squeezed Hermione once before pushing her shoulders back to look at her face.

"What's wrong?" She asked, bewildered. "I thought you wanted this?"

"I -I do. I just - what if they hate me for it? What if they won't speak to me? You said it yourself! You didn't like that I'd done it! I couldn't handle it if they hated me!" Molly pulled her in again, this time holding her tightly and stroking her hair.

"Shhhhh. They won't hate you. They might be disappointed, but they're still your parents, they love you. You knew this wouldn't be easy when you did it. Now you have to face the consequences of your actions, and no one will be able to do that for you, you have to be the brave Griffyndor I know you are and do the right thing."

Hermione pulled back, nodding. "I miss them. I miss them so much." She admitted. She looked a little sheepish before adding, "Sometimes I used to feel like they didn't understand me because they could never really understand the Wizading World, that's why I used to spend so much time here in the summers. Now I wish I'd spent more time with them. I bet they won't even recognise me now."

Molly wasn't quite sure how to respond, she thought about how she would feel for the Granger's, seeing their only daughter for a few weeks each year, never really understanding when she came home injured or a little more sad each year. They must have found it incredibly hard to not understand exactly who their daughter was, and it would be terrifying for them when they found out that she had turned her extraordinary powers on them. She would have to talk to Ron about being understanding when they were angry at her, he was likely to defend her and make it worse. Maybe it would be a good idea to send one of his calmer brothers with him to stop him from doing something stupid. Bill maybe? "Molly?" Hermione startled her out of her reverie. "When you said for me and Ron, is he coming with me?"

"Yes." Hermione smiled, shocked. "I wanted to talk to you about that too. It's your choice what you do, but I want you to be careful and not rush into anything you're not ready for. You have only been together a short while, and though you may have been close for many years, it doesn't mean you should move too fast. Physical intimacy is different to emotional intimacy, you have to be completely comfortable around each other, and not just in an emotional sense, before you take that step, if you aren't then you aren't ready."

Hermione had turned a bright red, and was currently looking anywhere but at the woman in front of her. "Mrs Weasley, I - we - we haven't -"

"I guessed that, I just wanted you to be prepared. There are charms and a potion, knowing you, you probably already know them. I can teach you if you don't though." Molly was a little embarrassed herself. "I just thought that as your mother isn't magical, you might need someone to teach you the wizarding methods." She explained.

"Thank you." Hermione looked into her eyes through her embarrassment, and Molly could see how much this had meant to her, even if it had embarrassed her a bit.

They were saved any awkwardness by a very sweaty family parading through the door and into the kitchen, making lots of noise about being 'starving'. Molly caught Hermione's eye and they both giggled.

"What's up?" Asked Ron as he flopped on the sofa next to Hermione, flinging his arm around her shoulders, which she subsequently threw off.

"Ewww! You're all sweaty!" She complained.

Ron laughed, a michievious glint in his eyes. He scooped Hermione up, wrapping his sweaty arms around her and kissing her full on the mouth. She kissed him back for a moment before pushing him away, half laughing, half moaning.

Molly was shocked for a moment as she realised that she had never actually seen the pair kiss before. She had actually never seen her son be kissed by anyone ever before. The pair had kept to subtle touches and innocent flirtations around the family, and she had never met Ron's previous girlfriend. It was a bit of a shock to the system, seeing him kiss someone, as though he was growing up right before her eyes. Charlie whistled at them from the kitchen door, smiling himself, though his eyebrows were raised as he shared a glance with his mother.

Ron rolled his eyes before making his way upstairs to jump in the shower, and Hermione sat back down and picked up her book, hiding her rosy cheeks in her hair. Molly watched as the rest of the family filtered in, holding sandwiches and the room filled with noise again. Hermione's smile didn't fade all day.

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**It took me a while to decide what I wanted to be in this chapter, but I think it went okay... Thanks for reading, and again, thank you for the reviews! :)**


	8. Chapter 8

**WARNING: Very long authors note below explaining why I chose the names I did for Hermione's parents (skip past if you wish)**

**Whilst writing this chapter, I was thinking about why Hermione would choose the names she did for her parents and a thought struck me - Monica Wilkins... Molly Weasley... same initials! I don't know whether JK Rowling purposefully did that but I think it would be really sweet if Hermione had chosen those initials because of that and not because they were in any way similar to her mother's real initials. So basically I decided that her parents would have very standard English names that have always been popular (seeing as I don't know the exact years they were born) and that would be why they decided to give their daughter such an unusual name. I thought it was probably safest to go with royal names then, and therefore I have dubbed her parents Henry and Elizabeth Granger. (I also thought that seeing as Hermione names her children with names beginning with H and R, she might share an initial with one of her parents)**

**Okay, That was a long ramble, but here's chapter eight!**

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To say that Elizabeth Granger was upset would be a gross understatement. It had started of as a normal day; she had woken up at six, made breakfast for herself and her husband, then they had got dressed and made their way to work where they had treated some patients and had taken a lunch break stroll around the marina before returning to work some more. The only thing strange about the day had been that her name was Monica WIlkins and she didn't have a daughter. The strangest thing? She hadn't even thought that anything was wrong with that.

She had just been about to close up th surgery when a young couple came through the door. Now Elizabeth (or 'Monica') knew she had no more patients that day, the receptionist and the nurses had all gone home after all. But for some reason that she couldn't quite understand (at least in that moment) she felt a jolt of recognition, telling her to trust them. They locked eyes with her and the girl froze.

The tall, red-headed boy looked at her for a moment before speaking, "Sorry, we're a bit lost, we've been looking for her parent's house you see and we were wondering if you could help us with some directions?"

The question relaxed her for a moment, of course there would be a sensible explaination for them appearing at such an odd time!

"My husband's much better with directions than me, he knows the place a little better - we're English too you see." She replied with a smile before calling Henry (or 'Wendell' - really wherever did Hermione come up with these names?) into the room. He shouted that he would be just a moment and she turned back to the couple, surprised to find the girl pointing a stick in her direction. A moment of Deja Vu struck her and she was highly confused before a flash of light flew in her direction and her life flashed through her eyes; she saw herself grow up, meet Henry, have a baby (and call it Hermione), find out that baby was a witch, send that baby off to school and watch as she turned a wand on her own parents. Somehow her whole life seemed to have taken 'a moment' to re-live and she could only stand in shock and betrayal as Henry was given the same treatment.

Hermione had once told her mother that the two boys she spent all her time with had no concept of emotional maturity and that they couldn't understand how someone could feel many emotions at once - she even recounted that she had told her friend Ron he had the 'emotional range of a teaspoon' - a quip that she had been quite proud of.

Well right now Elizabeth felt like she had the emotional range of a teaspoon and it was overflowing. She seemed incapable of feeling any one emotion for long enough to process it. First she felt shock, but that was swiftly replaced by betrayal, which was replaced by anger, which was replaced by fear and so on. She couldn't seem to speak.

"Hermione?" Her husband's shaky voice came from next to her, "Hermione what-? I don't understand."

Elizabeth looked on as Hermione slowly approached her father, who looked utterly confused. She came closer until she was right in front of him, and then with no warning she flung her arms around his neck and sobbed into his shoulder. Henry looked over at his wife in shock before wrapping his arms around his daughter and holding on tight, squeezing his eyes shut and resting his face in his daughter's wild mane.

The sight made one emotion push towards the forefront of Elizabeth's turmoil. Hermione was her daughter and she was visibly distressed - no matter what she had done, she needed her parents. Elizabeth sighed and walked over to join the hug and stroke her daughter's hair, as she used to when she was a child. After a long moment, Hermione pulled back and wiped her eyes, though she was still crying.

"I'm so sorry! I couldn't - I had to - I'm so sorry!" Henry rubbed the girl's shoulder with his thumb, looking at the boy stood on the other side of the room.

Truthfully Elizabeth had forgotten all about the boy but now she recognised him as Ron Weasley - her daughter's best friend and the boy who said daughter had spent many nights crying over and many letters complaining about. Now, however, he seemed not to notice the eyes on him and was instead staring worriedly at the back of Hermione's head, as though he were contemplating running over and gathering her up in his arms (but maybe that was Elizabeth romanticising it).

"Maybe we should go back to the house and you can explain what's going on." Elizabeth suggested.

Hermione nodded, still unable to talk and looked back at her - Ron, as though only just remembering his presence. She walked over and said something to him in a low voice, he nodded and responded whilst grabbing her hand and squeezing it softly. He then walked out of the building as Hermione turned back to her parents. She seemed a little more composed now.

"You remember Ron, don't you?" They nodded. "He and his brother Charlie came with me to help me find you, he's just getting Charlie and telling him that we're leaving."

It was only a few seconds before the two boys came through the door, Elizabeth had never met Charlie but he looked decent enough - though he did have a few scars - hopefully only from his job as a dragon tamer (Hermione did talk about the Weasley's a lot). He had a nice smile which diffused some of the tension in the room.

It was a short drive to their home, but the silence made it seem much longer. They had come to some form of unspoken agreement that they would wait until they were in the peace and privacy of their house to let the explosion happen.

Finally they climbed out, Hermione held Ron's hand as they walked up the pathway and Elizabeth was sure that she saw Charlie smirk when she furrowed her eyebrows at the sight. Henry put the key in the door and turned, the whole process seemed to hold a great weight that the usually mundane task never had before. They filtered in one by one, with Henry shutting the door behind them, a loud bang resonating through the silence. Elizabeth led them into the living room, and when the door clicked shut she turned on them.

"Would someone like to explain to me why I have spent the last year believing I was an entirely different person?! Or explain to me how my own daughter could point that thing at me and rip herself away from us?!"

"Bethy, maybe we should let her talk first." Elizabeth looked at her husband, her heart had softened a little at the nickname she had not heard in a year. Henry was ever the calm one, it was her solid belief that he was made to balance out her quick temper. They had met at Uni, they were both studious and hard-working, but Elizabeth had been part of the debating society and Henry had been more content to sit in his room with a book. It was clearly a miracle that they had met at all, but one of his flatmates had dragged him out to watch the annual Shakespeare performance, this year's being 'A Winter's Tale' and they had ended up sat next to one another. The rest as they say (without being cheesy) was history.

"Why don't we sit? This is going to take a while to explain, and you'll probably be better off not standing for some of it." Came the voice of the shorter, yet older red-head.

They did as told and there was an uncomfortable silence for a moment.

"Well?" Asked Elizabeth - patience had never been one of her virtues.

Hermione looked uncomfortable. "I - I don't really know where to start... I guess... you remember that I told you that Voldemort was coming back?" They nodded in comfirmation. "And do you remember how I told you that they had some prejudice against people like me and you - muggles?" Again they silently confirmed. "And all I told you about Harry and how he had to defeat him? Well he did, which is why I came to get you, and he did it by killing these things called Horcruxes. They are basically part of someone's soul..."

The explaination carried on for hours, by the end Elizabeth's mind was swirling, she had heard about people splitting their souls; about murderers and war and psychopaths and children being sent as soldiers on life-threatening missions. Worst of all she had heard her shaking daughter recount her experience of being tortured. Tortured to near death. After that particular explaination there had been some tears and a broken interjection of "do you understand? That could have been you!" Elizabeth thought that it was all well and good to say that, but the fact of the matter was that it had been Hermione, and they hadn't been able to protect her from it.

It all made Elizabeth Granger feel very insignificant. She had accepted from the time her daughter recieved her letter seven years ago that there were things out there that she could not understand. That there were things that maybe she would have trouble protecting her daughter from, but even then magic had seemed fun and wonderful. Now it just seemed dark and frightening. Now she had to accept that her daughter was the one protecting her, and that maybe she had been for a long time , maybe all those letters about boy troubles and gossipy roommates had been disguising things far more sinister than she could ever have imagined.

After all of the emotional turmoil that had taken them well into the early hours of the morning, and the hugs and reassurances that they didn't hate their only child, but they did need time to process all of this, Elizabeth took to the kitchen to make them all a cup of tea. She was waiting for the kettle to boil when Hermione came through the doorway. Elizabeth took the oppurtunity to take a good look at the girl, she was almost unrecognisable; she had lost so much weight and her previously long hair had been chopped to a shoulder-length bob. She currently seemed rather exhausted, and as she made her way over to her mother she dragged her feet a little.

"Hi." She said sheepishly.

"Hello love." Elizabeth replied tugging on a newly-shortened hair. "I like this, It suits you." She remarked.

"I had to cut it, it was all ratty." She self conciously ran her fingers through it.

"So. I have to ask. Why did young Mr Weasley accompany you and not the prestiged Mr Potter?" She smirked at her daughter, who looked shocked at the direction of the conversation. "What? I think there's been far too much serious and scary talk tonight already. I want to know if he's finally wised up to his feelings!"

Hermione let out a shocked giggle and blushed deeply, "I - We - He has. We are."

Elizabeth turned back to the kettle which had just boiled and poured the water into the teapot. "You're going to have to give me a little more than that!"

"It was me actually. I kissed him first." Elizabeth was laughing so hard she almost dropped boiling water on her foot. Hermione glared at her mother for a moment before joining her in laughter. Elizabeth pulled her daughter into a tight embrace, they were still giggling when Henry popped his head around the door.

"Is everything okay?" He was smiling slightly at the sight before him.

"We're fine." Elizabeth replied, winking at him. He nodded before leaving again.

The two girls composed themselves and Elizabeth started pouring the milk into the mugs. "Pass me those teabags darling." Hermione did as told and Elizabeth plopped them into the teapot before shutting the lid and leaning back against the counter.

"When did it happen then?" She drank in her daughter's face as she blushed prettily before looking down.

"When did what happen?"

Elizabeth nudged her daughter's shoulder with her own. "Don't play dumb."

Hermione smiled and it made her eyes twinkle. "The second of May." When her mother raised her eyesbrows at her she sighed before continuing, "He said that we should help the house elves get out of the castle and I guess I just got overwhelmed by him actually wanting to help them when he used to make fun of my campaign to free them and it was kind of a now or never moment and I took it." She shrugged, but her lingering blush suggested there was more.

"And by 'just took it' you mean?"

"I - I - Well, I sort of just threw myself at him. In front of Harry and all." She grimaced and Elizabeth shook her head in disbelief.

"What did he do?"

Hermione looked out of the window and bit her lip, unable to keep her grin to herself. "He dropped everything and quite literally swept me off my feet. It was rather romantic really."

Hermione's smile was infectious and Elizabeth found herself wrapping her daughter in her arms again. "I'm so happy for you." She whispered into her ear, remembering the countless heartbroken letters and tearful confessions over the years that she had listened to in regard to the very boy putting that beautiful smile on her Hermione's face.

"Me too." She whispered back. They were both a little weepy and wiped their eyes after pulling back. Elizabeth turned back to the teapot and poured the tea into the mugs. Hermione grabbed the sugar and spoon placing two sugars into two of the mugs and one into another. Elizabeth looked at her daughter with curiosity, she laughed.

"He's corrupted me I suppose." She frowned however, before adding, "The Healer said I need more sugar in my diet too." She then proceeded to put yet another sugar in the third mug. The action struck Elizabeth's curiosity.

"The Healer? Isn't that like a Doctor?"

"Yes." Hermione looked reluctant to admit it, and she seemed to close up on herself as though she were hiding something and didn't want her mother to find out.

"You're not - you're not pregnant are you?" She spoke before she really knew what she was asking but her heart fell to her stomach when Hermione burst into tears. She stood there frozen with shock for a moment, the tea forgotten.

"N-no. I-I'm not p-pregnant. We haven't - it's not -" Her daughter said through her gasping sobs. Elizabeth let out a gasp of relief before regarding her daughter with confusion, placing a hand on her shaking shoulder.

"Why are you crying then? What's the matter?" She asked softly rubbing the spot where her hand was placed.

"I lost a lot of weight" She stopped for a moment to catch her breath and compose herself some, "My periods stopped and the Healer said that it might affect my ability to have ch-children." She burst into sobs again and Elizabeth felt like crying herself. Truthfully she was too numb to cry, she had experienced some difficulty getting pregnant herself, she remembered the monthly heartache and the painful trips to the Doctor before she had finally got her baby girl and her heart broke for that baby girl. To know that she would likely have to go through something that hard herself... It was awful.

Some voice in the back of her head whispered that at least this was something she could understand, although it may have been ripped away from her by this magical war, it was something that Elizabeth could help with.

"It's okay baby, you'll be okay." She reassured, taking both of her shoulders in her hands and rubbing up and down gently, coaxing her to look into her mother's eyes.

"It's just that Ron has such a big family, and I feel like a failure because I might not even be able to give him one baby."

"So he's really it then?"

Hermione smiled slightly, nodding her head. "He's been really sweet about it, he said that he didn't care about it - that he just wanted me. I just can't help feeling bad about it though."

As though he had been conjured, Ron appeared in the doorway.

"I was wondering if you needed any help bringing them in?" He then apparently noticed Hermione's tear-streaked face and blotchy complexion, "Are you okay 'Mione?" His pain at seeing her cry was evident in his expression, most apparently so in his vivid blue eyes (that had been the subject of many of Hermione's diary entries as a young teen. Yes, she had peeked, so sue her.)

"That would be lovely thank you." Elizabeth answered, picking up two mugs herself, one with no sugar, and one with two. She then walked out of the door and winked at Ron as she passed him. He looked confusedly between the two women and as she left the room she was sure she heard him mutter 'what was that all about?'.

She re-entered the living room to see her husband and Charlie Weasley engaged in a deep conversation about - as far as she could figure - Charlie's job with dragons.

"Here you go boys." She spoke loudly so as to grasp their attention, before handing them their steaming mugs. "Hermione but the sugar in for you" She informed Charlie who seemed pleasantly surprised.

"He can keep her." He told them, "Your daughter's a utter gem."

Henry laughed along with him, but Elizabeth only smiled, still thinking over what Hermione had told her seconds earlier. Her daughter could never be a failure, though she knew that failure was always something that Hermione had worried about. Maybe they had pushed her too hard as a child?

"You seem too be thinking hard about something darling." Henry observed. "Is everything okay?"

She smiled, "Yes, it will be." she cleared her throat whilst sitting down, "What are we going to do about sleeping? There's only one guest room and it has a double bed. We can't make anyone sleep on the sofa."

Surprisingly it was Charlie who spoke up. "Actually, we can transfigure the sofa into a bed, and we can transfigure the bed into two."

"Seven years and I'm still surprised by what you lot can do!" Henry exclaimed, "So tell me, how does this stuff work?"

Charlie went into an explaination of transfiguration and whatever it meant or something - to be honest Elizabeth's mind was elsewhere, mainly on the two teenagers who had just come through the door. The two teenagers with flushed cheeks and slightly swollen lips who were carryin three cups of tea between them, but were still managing to hold hands. She raised her eyebrows at her daughter, who had the good grace to look embarrassed. She then smiled and gestured to the sofa next to her, Hermione pulled Ron over and he handed Elizabeth her cup with an adorably sheepish smile (she could most definately see what her daughter saw in him) and they sat together in the small space next to her. The conversation continued until everyone had finished their tea and Henry proclaimed that it was far, far too late - or early - and that they needed some sleep. He was definately right as Hermione was already dozing off on Ron's shoulder.

It took all of two seconds for the sofa to be made into a rather attractive bed, and another for the spare bed to be made into two. They worked out that Ron and Hermione should stay in the room together as it came out that Charlie had actually accompanied them to act as a sort of protector in case something went wrong. He explained that their version of the police force had been a bit overrun as of late and they thought it would be better to send Charlie. It wasn't until everyone was tucked up in bed and Henry had fallen asleep that ELizabeth had let her feel the anger; anger that her daughter had been put in these circumstances; that she'd been treated so awfully; that she had so much taken away from her. It took a long time for her to fall asleep that night and when she did, she had awful dreams of people taking her daughter away and a dreadful image of a wand being pointed in her own face.

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**Now I was thinking, I quite liked exploring her mother's POV and I might actually have the next two chapters in Henry and Arthur's POVs respectively. But then I'd continue with Molly and maybe do a couple more in Elizabeth's, what do you think?**

**And as usual, thanks for reading! :)**

**(P.S. Thanks for the reviews too, they really are lovely to read!)**


	9. Chapter 9

**Sorry it's been so long! I went on holiday for two weeks and forgot to bring my laptop! **

**I'm so glad you all liked the last chapter! I am also very glad you liked my naming of her parents (that took a lot of debating in my head). **

**So here is chapter nine from Henry Granger's POV :)**

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Henry Granger was a soft tempered man, and he knew it. He had never been the child who complained when the teacher was being unfair - he had just accepted that it was out of his control and got on the best he could. He had never been the teenager who had screaming matches with his parents - he respected that they had authority over him and that they only wanted the best for him. This attitude had worked well for him through life, particularly in his marriage - He was always the first to apologise even if he hadn't really been wrong in the first place.

You see, as Henry saw it, it wasn't worth wasting time being angry or bitter over things that didn't really matter or that you couldn't change anyway.

The issue now however, was that his baby girl had been hurt. Not only that, but she had taken away their ability to do anything about it. Now, as mentioned before, Henry was soft-tempered, and he knew that things needed thinking through before you reacted. With this in mind, he tried to be as much like his normal self as was possible - even though he had an emotional war raging inside. He could tell that this was what Hermione needed, after all she had flinched again this morning when her mother dropped a knife on the floor, and he could tell his wife was a few more flinches away from exploding.

Though that may have been the bigger issue, Henry thought that his wife was stressing enough for both of them and there was another thing plagueing his mind. A boy shaped thing. You see... Hermione... Well she hadn't come to Australia alone.

Over the years Henry had heard a lot about a young Mr Ron Weasley and how he was so close to his daughter and how he was 'so funny' and then sometimes how he made her cry.

Elizabeth often accused Henry of being slow when it came to noticing things of the romance variety - she had been the one to kiss him first after all - but he most definitely noticed something between his daughter and this boy (no, young man) that she had brought along with her.

It first happened the morning after they had arrived and Henry had gone to wake up the pair in the spare room. As he was walking, he was re-thinking his desicion to let his daughter share a room with a boy, seriously! What had he been thinking of? He supposed that it must have been the lack of sleep and emotional trauma that had left him desperate enough for bed that he would agree to anything. He was proven that the idea had in fact been insane when he opened the door to find that though they had turned the bed into two (magic truly did amaze him!), they had pushed the beds close together and their hands were clasped accross the divide.

Henry was stunned as he backed out of the room again. He hadn't even considered the idea that his eighteen year-old daughter could be in a relationship. Yes, he may have worried about them sharing a room, but he hadn't really, truly thought it. After all, wasn't this the boy who had made her miserable that last Christmas?

Henry remembered that Christmas very well, even though it was (gosh was it really?) two years ago now. He remembered the smile as she greeted them at the station alone, he remembered how it hadn't quite reached her eyes. He remembered how she had shrunk into herself in the car journey home and how her eyes had filled with tears when Elizabeth asked her why she hadn't said goodbye to the boys. Most vividly he remembered finding her sitting in the kitchen in the middle of the night on Christmas eve, hugging a mug of hot chocolate sobbing silently; and how he had held her tight without asking any questions even though deep down he wanted to find out who had hurt his baby and... well he didn't know what.

When he had found out that it was her so-called best friend who had done this to her (via Elizabeth - his relationship with his daughter wasn't really a share-y one, though they were close) he had been all set on taking him aside and giving him a talking to the next time he saw him, but that had never happened as he never did see him again until now.

He knew that hadn't been the only time either, he recalled his wife telling him 'Hermione's fallen out with Ron again' whilst reading her letters countless times over the years. Only now did he notice that she had never fallen out with her other friend Harry that way.

His wife interrupted his musings by stumbling out of the bedroom, ever the lazy one, attempting to smooth down her hair and instead only making it worse. The sight would have usualluy made him chuckle, but he just pointed to the door , wide-eyed. She frowned and peeked inside, she then smiled tenderly and then turned to smirk at him before shutting the door and meandering downstairs, ignoring his hisses of 'Elizabeth!'.

The second time he noticed it was when his daughter was when they came home from sorting things out with their practice - informing them that they were closing in three week's time - and he had walked in to find them in the lounge. Apparently his brother Charlie had gone for a walk, and Henry overheard a very odd conversation.

"Stop it!" He heard his daughter laugh, which made him stop in his tracks.

"I'm not doing anything!" He heard the amused rumble.

"You're staring at me! I can't concentrate when you're looking at me like that!" The thought that this boy was looking at his daughter in any sort of way was disconcerting.

"I can't help it." Even through the door Henry could sense his daughter's blush.

"That's ridiculous."

"It's not." There was a pause, in which Henry considered making his presence known, before the boy continued, "You just look so cute when you're reading. It's irresistable." Henry was unnerved by the intensity of his voice and went to put his hand on the doorknob.

"Don't be silly." His daughter huffed.

"I'm not!" He heard the clap of a book shutting. "You do! You get that really serious look on your face and these little frown lines here." There was a pause, "And you sometimes scrunch your nose up when you're really concentrating and you pout your lips." There was a tense silence before the boy added - far too breathily for Henry's liking, "It's cute."

He stomped on the floor to interrupt them and shouted, "Hermione?" He heard them jump apart and opened the door. "Oh, here you are! Your mother is just buying some groceries, we're all sorted now, we just need to wait until the month's over so we can finish paying the rent here and we can go home."

He took note of the flustered state his daughter was in and looked hard at the young man, who seemed to realise that Henry had heard what he had said and blushed violently. Hermione quickly recovered and smiled.

"That's great!" She exclaimed, standing up. "Why don't you sit down and I'll get you a drink!" She hastily left the room, he knew her well enough to realise that she was trying to avoid any awkward eye-contact with either of them after what had just occurred. He knew that she would likely take her time with the drink, which was good, as it gave him some time to spend with the boy.

"So, how are you liking Australia Ron?" He almost laughed as the boy beathed an all-too-obvious sigh of relief.

"It's great! 'Mione took me to the beach this morning, it was amazing! The water's so much clearer here!"

"It is lovely!" Henry smiled, "How come Harry didn't want to come?"

Ron paused and bit his lip. "He wanted to spend some time with my sister. They started dating before the war, and with Fred... with what happened to my brother, he said he needed to be there for her."

Damn it. The boy was good. It took Henry a beat to come up with his next statement, "It's nice that you wanted to be here for Hemione, what with the family tragedy and all. Most people would want to be at home at a time like that."

Ron looked Henry in the eye, and he could see him trying to figure out what his game was. "Well, she needed m-someone... and I thought that it would be better to spend my time helping her than moping around." He shrugged, as though ending the subject. He was very good.

"Still, not many people would be able to brush aside their own pain to help someone else, not even for a friend." He mat the boys eyes again, imploring him to admit what he had already guessed.

The boy just about managed to control his blush and gulped before smiling, and answering, "Well, Hermione's special."

Henry was starting to wonder if the boy was some expert chess master or something, with the way he was comandeering the conversation. He battled with himself for a moment before sighing.

"Will you be honest with me for a moment?" The boy nodded solemnly. "Are you in love with my daughter?"

To his credit, Ron met his eyes bravely. "Yes." He said it so surely, and Henry's heart dropped to his stomach, he couldn't explain why.

He collected himself and nodded. "And are you dating?"

Again, the boy answered with a bold "Yes."

Henry nodded again. "And what are your plans after that?"

The question stumped the boy for a moment, "I - What exactly do you mean?"

Henry almost laughed at the question, the boy evidently knew exactly what he meant. He settled, however, for a faint smile. "You can't exactly just date my daughter forever, you must have some kind of an idea where this relationship is going."

The boy looked to his shoes and this time couldn't contain his blush. "I'm going to marry her. In a few years though. I know she has things she wants to accomplish before she gets married, and I want to be able to afford to buy her a nice ring, and a nice house." He lifted his heard to look back into Henry's eyes, and he could see the determination there, "I never really had much growing up, I mean, there were seven of us. I want to be able to give my children new things, I don't plan on rushing into anything with this. Hermione's very important to me, she - she's amazing. I know you probably heard all about our fights, but that was just me trying to push her away because I didn't think I could ever be good enough for her, and I thought that she knew that and that she didn't want me. I screwed up a lot, but I know now that she does love me - I don't know why, but she does - and I will do my hardest never to hurt her again. I promise you that."

Henry was taken aback, he didn't know what he was expecting, but it wasn't that. The level of maturity Ron displayed towards his relationship with Hermione was far above that of a usual teen romance. 'I am going to marry her', that's what he said, and Henry couldn't fault that. For some unknown reason, he also knew that one day he would see his daughter walk down an isle on his arm to meet the boy in front of him. He just hoped that it was a long way off yet.

Henry nodded again, and the boy nodded back.

"Well, then I'm glad you're here." Henry finally replied.

"Me too." The boy smiled.

Hermione opened the door, her eyes suspiciously watery. She walked over to her father and handed him his mug, kissing him on the cheek. She then walked over to Ron, who she looked at tenderly before flopping down next to him and leaning her head on his shoulder. He in turn wrapped an arm around her waist.

They sat in silence for a few moments before Elizabeth burst through the front door, chattering away to Charlie, they were both carrying shopping bags. Ron and Hermione offered to give them a hand and soon Charlie was sent away as they three unpacked the groceries.

Henry grinned back at the man as he sat down opposite him. "Did you have a nice walk?" He asked with a raised eyebrow.

Charlie laughed, "I guess you know now huh? Not that it was really a secret what with that pathetic look on his face all the time."

"He's not that bad." Henry tried.

"Yeah right! You didn't see him at home! He was all over her like a rash, tripping over himself to do anything for her. He has it bad." He smirked at the thought. "Hermione's nearly as bad too, she just has a bit more... decorum. She is just always touching him... and giving him that doe-eyed look. It's weird, I never thought Ron would ever get his act together with her." Charlie laughed.

Henry reviewed the past few days in his head and decided that Charlie was right! Hermione couldn't stop touching the boy! They were always connected in some way; be it through their hands, or the interlocking of their feet under the table, or even just their shoulders touching. The thought worried Henry, after all, surely it couldn't be good that she had to constantly remind herself that he was there...

Charlie seemed to notice the dark path his thoughts had taken and coughed, loudly.

Henry jumped, startled, and turned to face him.

"All joking aside, I know my little brother and he wears his heart on his sleeve, you can tell that he's serious about her. He was really nervous about meeting you, and he's not the type to get worked up over anything unless he really cares about it. They remind me a bit of Mum and Dad actually, in their relationship I mean, and I figure that since they've lasted so long there's no reason to believe that Ron and Hermione won't."

Henry didn't admit that was exactly what he was worried about, that he didn't even have a few years of scaring off boyfriends (or at least giving them a stern talking to) before he had to accept that Hermione was in a committed relationship and she would likely spend the rest of her life with this person. Instead he smiled.

"I don't doubt it either Charlie."

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**The next chapter will be from Arthur's perspective and will hopefully come much sooner than this one did... I suppose it depends how easy I find it to write as him... **

**Anyway! Reviews are always much appreciated (particularly long ones - yes I'm talking to you catcelot! - I utterly adore reading long ones, they are my favourite kind) **

**As usual, thank you for reading :)**


	10. Chapter 10

**Sorry it's been so long! I couldn't think of what exactly I wanted this chapter to include, but I sort of let it run and I kind of like the direction it took... kind of.**

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He knew that people often thought him a bit daft. It was just one of those things you couldn't avoid noticing. In truth, a lot of the time he put it on. After all, when his children were in a tight spot they often needed harmless old Dad to help them out of it, after all, he wouldn't figure out what they'd done!

He was trying to put in on again as he saw his son sat on the sofa, alone. At two AM. Crying.

Arthur had seen all of his children cry many times over the years, all babies cry, as do toddlers, as do young children. However, exempt from a few times after the battle - most noticably at his older brother's funeral (Arthur's heart gave a twinge at the memory) - this particular son hadn't cried in front of him in a very, very long time.

The boy hadn't noticed him enter the room, he had his head in his hands and was probably concentrating so hard on not making a noise that he couldn't hear the creak of the floorboards as his father stopped in the doorway.

"Hey Ronnie, what are you doing up at this ridiculous hour of the morning?" Arthur's falsley cheery voice made even himself cringe.

Ron jumped and scrambled for his wand before realising that it was his father who stood in the doorway. The fact that his son's first thought had been to hex him worried Arthur, and he was sure that the boy on the sofa could see through his false smile.

"Oh. Hi. I - I just - I couldn't sleep and -" He ended with a choked sob, unable to continue.

Arthur stumbled over to take a seat next to his youngest and placed a hand on his shuddering back. "Shhhhh. What's on your mind?" He was sharply reminded of comforting a six-year-old version of the boy next to him, after a nightmare. How Arthur wished he could go back to a time when Ron's nightmares were about spiders and not about death and torture.

"Merlin! I'm pathetic!" Arthur was startled at the choked laugh that followed Ron's voice.

"I - er - what?" Arthur scratched the back of his neck as Ron sat upright.

Sometimes Arthur was amazed at the resemblance that his youngest son had to himself at that age. When he turned his vivid blue eyes onto him in that moment, he saw it again.

"I don't even know why I'm crying!" The boy seemed hysterical as he barked out a half sob, half laugh. "I just couldn't sleep and then all of a sudden I was crying!"

"I suppose there's a lot to cry about of late. I'm guessing your lack of ability sleeping has something to do with that fact that a certain young lady isn't sleeping in the same house for the first time in a year."

He laughed lightly as his son's eyes widened in shock. The pair had returned from Australia three days ago with Hermione's family, who had stayed with them at the Burrow until late this afternoon, when all of the precautionary protections had been placed around their newly restored home. Arthur and Molly had enjoyed the company of Henry and Elizabeth, particularly in learning about the muggle world; just as Hermione's parents had soaked up information on the wizarding world. Molly had joyfully commented this evening that she was looking forward to having them as part of the family when Ron and Hermione got married. To Arthur's everlasting surprise, Ron had just laughed and shook his head rather than blushing and stuttering as he would have a year ago.

Ron let out a nervous laugh. "I suppose that might have something to do with it." They sat in silence for a moment before Ron added sheepishly, "I keep wondering if she's having a nightmare right now. It's been getting better since they gave her those sleeping potions, but she's not allowed to take them more than twice a week or she'll get too dependant on them... means she wakes up screaming a lot." Ron's eyes filled with tears again and Arthur pulled him close into his side, just as he had before all those years ago. "I - I hate it! It's like we never even left that - that place."

Arthur's own eyes watered as he recalled Harry telling him how they were locked in a cellar, forced to hear Hermione's screams, and how his youngest son had offered up his own life in exchange for hers. Arthur had never had a doubt about Ron's feelings towards the girl, not since he had first figured it out whilst reading a terrifed letter about how she had been petrified in Ron's second year. He loved the girl like a second daughter and it pained him to see the two in such agony.

"I thought it was supposed to be over! Mum ended her, and she's still managing to torture her!"

"It's never over, Ron." His son looked up in surprise. Arthur sighed wearily. "It's something I learnt after the last war. The fighting might be over, but the scars, whether emotional or physical, they never heal. Not really. You just learn to live with them."

"It's not fair." Ron groaned, sitting back against the cushions again. Arthur was again reminded of a younger boy, complaining that Fred and George got to ride a broom when he wasn't allowed.

"No. It's not. But do you know what does help?"

Ron looked up, amused at the excited tone in his father's voice. "What?"

"Your Mum's homemade chocolate cake." Arthur stage-whispered conspiringly.

Ron let out a far too loud laugh that seemed to startle even himself. The pair waited silently for footsteps that never came, and when finally satisfied that they were safe, they made their way to the kitchen. Ron got out two plates as Arthur cut two large slices from the cake. He placed them on the plates and they each took one, sitting opposite one another at the table. Arthur watched as Ron dug in; dressed in too small Cannon's pyjamas with sleep-ruffled hair. He was licking the buttercream off of his spoon when he noticed his father hadn't started.

"You alright Dad?"

"Yeah, just hard to believe that you're all grown up now." He smiled wistfully.

"I'm only eighteen!" Ron laughed through his full mouth.

"I know. You don't have to be old to be grown up. It's just that I was your age when I got married, and it's not like you're not in a committed relationship..."

"I'm not about to get married Dad!" Ron said, almost choking on his cake.

Arthur almost laughed at the indignant expression on his son's face. "I know, but you can't tell me that Hermione isn't the girl you're eventually going to marry." Ron blushed and attempted to form a sentence. "Don't pretend you hadn't already thought it, I saw the way you were trying to impress her parents today!" Arthur teased. Ron mumbled something unintellegable before digging back into the chocolate cake. Arthur laughed a little too loudly when Ron accidentally smeared some buttercream on his cheek, before tucking in himself.

"I don't reckon you should take too long you know, with the whole getting married thing." Arthur insisted after swallowing his food.

"I'm eighteen!" Ron almost shouted, before remembering that they were supposed to be sneaking around and repeated in a violent whisper, "Eighteen!"

"I'm not suggesting you do it now! Just... just don't wait another seven years to officially make her part of the family." Arthur smiled knowingly.

Ron blushed again and ate the last piece of his cake. He waited until he had swallowed before replying quietly, "I'm not in a rush Dad. I - I won't wait seven years, but... I'm not being ungrateful, I know you and Mum gave us everyting you could, and I know that money isn't everything... I just - I want to be able to buy them things, my family I mean. I want to wait until I can afford it."

Though he hadn't meant it that way, Arthur was reminded of the argument with Percy before he had left, and he felt a sense of shame that he hadn't been able to provide properly for his children.

Ron obviously saw the hurt in his father and continued on, "Don't get me wrong! I wouldn't trade my childhood for anything! I mean, when I look at Harry's... he had money, at least from when he was eleven, but he didn't have a family like you guys, and that's much more important. Even the Malfoy's! They have buckets of money and they have family, but they still aren't happy, not like us. That's all down to you and Mum. Harry told me that Dumbledore said the strongest magic is love, and we had more love than we needed from you and Mum, and I reckon that's the most important thing. If I turn out to be half the the Dad that you are then I'll be happy."

Arthur sat there, blinking away tears. It wasn't often that you heard Ron give heartfelt speeches. Sure, he wore his heart on his sleeve, but Ron better spoke through actions than words. He stood up and walked over to his son. He pulled him to stand and embraced him. They stood there for a few moments, both trying not to cry, before they were interrupted by a blasy of green light and someone appearing from the fireplace.

They pulled out their wands, but quickly realised, from the bushy brown hair, that it was Hermione. Ron ran over to her and started asking if she was alright. Arthur heard the word 'nightmare' before she collapsed, sobbing into Ron's arms. He gave his father a questioning look over her head.

"Take her to your room, she can stay there for the night, just-"

"Don't tell Mum right?" Ron quipped cheekily, and Arthur shook his head in amusement.

"Yeah, now get going." Ron nodded and started to pull the inconsolable Hermione upstairs. "Oh, and Ron?" Arthur added.

"Yeah?" He asked, turning his head back to face his father.

"Thank you." Arthur poured his heart into those two words, and Ron grinned at him.

When they were gone, Arthur sat back down at the table and contemplated their conversation, whilst eating his cake; he supposed Ron was right, they may not have been able to give their children much, but love and a good sense of right and wrong was all they had needed. They could make money for themselves easily, but they needed to be shown how to love and how to treat people, and Arthur figured they'd done a damn good job of teaching them that.

The stairs creaked and his wife descended upon the kitchen. At the sight of the chocolate covered plates she raised an eyebrow, he sheepishly shrugged in return. She cleared the plates and sat on his lap.

"Who's our night owl?" She asked, resting her head on his shoulder.

"Ron. He couldn't sleep." he spoke into her hair, shifting on the seat to make them both more comfortable.

He felt her worry through the tension of her body. "He's not having nightmares again is he?"

Arthur shuddered at the memory of the awful nightmares that sometimes plagued his youngest son now. Sometimes he couldn't wake from them, even though he was screaming and shouting loud enough to wake the dead.

"No, he just couldn't sleep."

"And sugar helps you sleep now does it?" She teased, visibly relaxing.

They sat in silence before Arthur decided he really should tell her, "He had a late night visitor just now."

She sighed against him, "Hermione?"

"Yeah. Seems she can't sleep anywhere he isn't."

Molly stood up and reached for his hand, signaling him to join her.

"I'm worried about them. It can't be healthy to be that dependent on each other; they barely spend any time apart, and they're always together, always touching somehow. It's like they're scared of being separated." She told him as she led him back to bed.

"I don't blame them really. They probably find it hard to believe they both actually made it." He exhaled heavily and climbed into bed next to her. "A lot of the time I was worried about that."

"That one might have to live without the other?" Asked Molly unusually timidly.

"Yes, I don't think Ron could ever be okay if he'd have lost her." Arthur admitted, though he was saddened to think it.

"No. He wouldn't." They lay in silence for a moment, Molly curled up against his side.

"He said he'd be happy if he were half the Dad I am." Arthur felt like he'd burst if he didn't let it out. This time he couldn't control the tears that sprung forth, Molly wiped them away, though her eyes were a little teary too.

"He's such a wonderful boy. He'll be a great father one day, just like you. You're very alike you know, and I couldn't be prouder of you both."

The silence that followed was a comfortable one, and they quickly fell sound asleep in each others arms.

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**Really struggled ending this, but ah well. Also thank you YerAWizardKatie! I completely forgot it was still 'complete' I only had it as that originally because I wasn't planning on making it a multi-chapter story! I shall change that now!**

**As usual thank you for reading and for the lovely reviews! :)**


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